Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-14
If, 1887.


lew years ago CAME beloIc lh' GU
prcmc Court Of the United States the
northern papers, without distinction OF
party, took ground against those OF us
who were seeking to render operative
the RDDLEBERGEB bill. We are not
sure that there were any exceptions to
this general rule.
A somewhat different feeling has
been exhibited by the northern pa
pcrs in speaking of the h0bcqs corpUS
cases which are to come up before the
same tribunal next Monday. Several
OF the leading journals in that section
recognize the questions in dispute as
transcending the narrow domain Of dol
lars and cents. We quote the Phila-
delphia 7ci,grGph Independent Re
publican), as follows:
"The principle involved in this bust
ness Is altogether so important 70 the
whole nation. and whatever decision IS
arrived at VIII be so far-rcaching IN It's
consequences that there Is need that the
gentlemen on the bench who have to
do with it, rs wcllas the public at large,
shall keep their tcmpcrs and refuse to
permit their survey of the principles
involved to ice obscurcd 10y either pas
sion or interest. "
Not that the telegraph has a3an-
doncd its advocacy of the policy of
paving all the debt of Virginia; for on
this point it says:
"The Nirgiuians who are attempting
10 enforce tine coupon crusher Law
and those whom they represent are en-
titled to no sympathy whatever in this
connection; but because tins law Is
dishonest and q scaudaloGs one it does
not At al follow that judge Bonl's de
cision il sound or a safe one. I.I'
Truth about Judge Bond appears t. be
that lie is something of fanatic. VINO
persists in viewing matters AMI things
not from The standpoint Of the Constl-
tuition and the laws as interpreted by
the best legal luminaries, but from that
Of the exigcncics of the civil war and
the reconstruction period.
The New York Tmcs, certainly one
Of the leading journals in the North,
also understands the case. 1t says:
"The case Is one Of great interest
and Importance outside of the State Of
VirginIa, as it involves the authority OF
Federal courts to cocrcr the officers OF
States in their action under state laws
which are ALLEGED to be- inconsistent
with the Constitution OF the United
States. The question has an interest
and importance quite apart from the
Virginia debt question, rs the same an
thoritv. if upheld, might be- exercised
in cases o. different character.
These journals take the right view Of
the matter. We regret, however, that
the controvcrted points are to come up
before a bench having upon It not one
single representative of the South nor
of the Democratic party, (unless we
except Justice FIELD, who Is not emit
tied to be exceptedD Surely such
questions ought to bc settled 10y full
bench. The "cankcr, Of long war -
who now etillreprOsentupon that bench
the section which triumphed in the war
between the States constitute the entire
existing court What a pity that such
Issues should have TO be raised and ar
gued before such court.
The structure OF our Federal Govern
ment may undergo an entire change as
q consequence Of the sectional and
party feelings which pcryade the breasts
of the present justices. We suppose
no one can entertain a doubt that the
strict constructionists OF the Constitu-
ton shoald have at least four o. the
members Of the Supreme Bench.
If. with all these adverse influences
operating against her, Virginia should
gain her cause, it would be n triumph
indeed. The best that we dare hope
for is that the Supreme Court may next
week let the States officers out on bail
and postpone the decision Of the main
questions until they can be decided by
full bench. This is what ought to be
done.